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Iron Fang Pikemen
The Iron Fang Pikemen are proud examples of the Khadoran fighting spirit. They stand toe-to-toe with six-ton, steam-powered machines that can crush the life out of them in a single blow. These hardened soldiers are part of an ancient tradition of spearmen who once fought the northern bear. They later evolved into pikemen deployed by settled Khards to stand against the roving horselords who dominated the southern plains and eastern hills of their empire. Just as they stood firm against the seemingly unstoppable tide of warlords on muscled horses, they now form up behind their shields and bring weapons to bear against the warjacks that dominate the modern battlefield. Their pikes tipped with powerful explosive charges, Iron Fangs can blast through infantry and heavy warjack armor with equal success.Forces of Warmachine: Khador Command MK3 Behind their tower shields, Iron Fangs are notoriously difficult to kill; even coordinated rifle fire sometimes bounces off their armored frames as they continue their implacable advance. Iron Fangs rely on their armor and shields to protect them from weapons designed to destroy warjacks. Reinforced plates attached to heavy chain, the thick, weighty armor includes over sized shoulder plates which restrict lateral movement but protect the wearer’s head from the downward blows warjacks often deliver. Iron-toed boots not only protect the Iron Fang’s feet but also soak a great deal of the recoil from a pike when it strikes a charging enemy. Heavy gauntlets and raised thigh plating shield the pikeman’s extremities. While the armor is awkward for the untrained, but a conditioned, fully outfitted Iron Fang trained to regard their heavy armor as a second skin can ignore its weight and even outpace a man in lighter armor making their mobility a key component of their battlefield success. The Iron Fangs are even able to sleep comfortably in their armor. Their shields are two inches thicker at all places than most military shields. Thicker at the top than the bottom to ward off warjack weapons, it can easily withstand small arms fire and infantry attacks. It has notched sides large enough to rest the shaft of a blasting pike in, creating an armored wall of pikes that protect the Fangs while they strike their enemies or await an opportunity to charge. The Iron Fang shield often provides the extra protection required when charging into a thicket of Cygnaran guns. In battle they move with military precision, interlocking their shields to form a nearly impenetrable mobile wall.No Quarter #1 Iron Fang pikemen units approach any engagement as if it might last a fortnight and see every campsite as comfortable lodgings. They will sometimes find a place on their person for a reminder of home - a lover’s kerchief or a family locket perhaps - to keep their minds fresh and focused. Many collect trophies from old “kills”, like warjack rivets or of cers badges, but keep them tacked or lashed behind their shields so as not to ruin the uniformity of the unit or interfere with their essential arms and equipment. Iron Fangs fight with a blasting pike, a ten-foot long shaft of heat-tempered iron capped at both ends. Some units coat the palms of their gauntlets in pitch or pine sap or use leather wrappings to augment their grip on the heavy pike. The pike itself weighs almost twenty pounds, with an additional two pounds from the blasting head - of which the average Iron Fang carries a bandolier of four. The butt end of the pike has a simple spiked steel cap useful as a weapon or boot stop when receiving a charge. The opposite end has a socket built around a small tension-spring where the blasting head locks into place with a simple twist - a daunting task in the middle of a heated melee. The tension spring holds the igniting pin into a primed position and rams it through the bags of blasting powder upon striking a target with sufficient force. The resulting powerful explosion is often enough to knock even the heaviest targets off their feet. Iron Fangs also carry a single disarmed blasting head weighted with shot or sand for inspections and review. Most Iron Fangs also keep a small weapon tucked away in case of surprise or if the battle moves into walled or close quarters. After centuries of service, the Iron Fangs have become a heralded tradition of the Khadoran Army, their fraternal bond legendary. Upon acceptance into the legion of Iron Fangs, a soldier swears a blood oath, casts off the life he lived before, and dedicates himself to his fellow soldiers, his country, and the art of war.. References Category:Warmachine Category:Khador Category:Unit